Dr. T. Mohan Sankerji Maharaj
BACKGROUND Post-operative sore throat (POST) is one of the common complications of general anaesthesia (GA) with endotracheal tube, which may cause patient dissatisfaction after the surgery. Various methods to reduce POST have been tried, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, with varying results. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of a combination of intravenous (I.V.) lignocaine and smaller endotracheal tube (ETT) on the occurrence of POST. METHODS Four hundred women between 18-70 years undergoing elective surgeries under GA with endotracheal tube satisfying the inclusion criteria were allotted into 4 groups: Group A: cuffed ETT size 7.0 with I.V. saline, Group B: cuffed ETT size 7.0 with I.V. lignocaine, Group C: cuffed ETT size 6.0 with I.V. saline and Group D: cuffed ETT size 6.0 with I.V. lignocaine. After extubation, the patients were assessed for occurrence and severity of sore throat at 1, 6 and 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS The incidence and severity of POST was statistically different among the 4 groups (p<0.001 for overall incidence; p= 0.001, p<0.001, p= 0.002 for incidence at 1,6, and 24 hrs; p= 0.027, p= 0.030, p= 0.622 for different grades of POST at 1 hr, p= 0.004, p= 0.044 at 6 hrs., and p= 0.008, p= 0.622 at 24 hrs respectively). Inter group comparison showed statistical difference in incidence and severity between groups A and C; groups B and D; groups A and D. CONCLUSIONS The use of smaller ETT for GA reduces the incidence as well as severity of POST. Intravenous lignocaine has little effect in preventing the occurrence of POST, but the combination of smaller ETT and IV lignocaine appears to reduce POST more than when they are used individually.
